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Cyon Research Stock Index Turns Public

Cyon Research Corporation (Bethesda, MD), a business analyst consultancy for engineering technology markets, announced that it has made its historically private Cyon Research Stock Index publicly available for the first time. This detailed view of the index of selected publicly traded stocks can now be accessed free by anyone at www.cyonresearch.com/stocks.

The Cyon Research Index tracks the performance of bundles of stocks that provide a tool for understanding the movement of market sectors related to design and engineering software. The sectors traced include AEC, mechanical design, GIS, plant design and EDA, with comparables for general hardware and service providers. The mechanical design sector is further refined into subsectors for MCAD, MCAE, CAM, cPDM and RP.

For more information on Cyon Research, visit www.cofes.com.

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Designing Graded Structure with Custom-Fit

Custom-Fit is an industry led project funded by the EU under Sixth Framework Programme, with the aim of creating a fully integrated system for the design, production and supply of individualized products using rapid manufacturing technologies. One of the objectives of Custom-Fit is to manufacture products with graded materials in a single manufacturing process. To facilitate this, it has developed a new design philosophy and verification of product designs with graded structures.

Commercial computer aided design (CAD) systems in general are used for designing the geometry of an object and are not capable of describing the material composition of the object. The project has gathered experts from around Europe to develop three design systems for representing products with graded structure. TNO from the Netherlands, Fraunhofer-IFAM from Germany and Materialise from Belgium are three of the partners in the Custom-Fit project. Each of them has defined a method for describing the structural design of a product based on different philosophy. The three software are InnerSpace by TNO, Multi Phase Topology Optimisation from IFAM and a FEA representation method by Materialise. These software offer the ability to define the proportion and distribution of materials within an object.

Each of the three software has different strength and is suitable for the modeling of different product.

  • InnerSpace, by TNO, enables a designer to define material property distributions and also the distribution profile. The software uses the STL file as the source file and the STL model defines the outer boundary of the object. It can define the material distribution for a whole object or just part of the object at any location. The data files from InnerSpace is very small and thus easy to transfer.
  • Multi Phase Topology Optimisation (MPTO), by IFAM, is a numerical simulation technique based on finite element method. It is able to determine the optimum distribution of two or more different materials in components under thermal and mechanical loads. It finds an optimal spatial distribution of several different materials in order to achieve highest stiffness.
  • Materialise also uses the FEA method to define a geometric model that consists of a large number of small scale volumetric elements. Each element can carry as many properties as the designer wants to define. It also enables the designer to define the material deposition within the object.
The field of graded material design is an emerging market and there are many new opportunities. Custom-Fit is using the software for the design of a range of products, including implants, prosthesis, helmet and seats. The availability of software for designing graded structure opens up the possibility of designing products with better mechanical structure. The next step would be to be able to manufacture such products. The project is now working on interfacing these software to additive manufacturing machines and thus realizing the printing of products with graded structure.

For further information, visit Custom-Fit at www.custom-fit.org.

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EOS International User Meeting to Take Place

EOS (Krailling, Germany ), the manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, announced that the 11th EOS International User Meeting (IUM) will be held from April 14th to 16th, 2008, at the Hotel “The Monarch” in Bad Goegging, Germany. The annual conference provides participants with a platform for discussing developments within EOS and the latest trends in the layer manufacturing technologies industry. EOS expects over 200 attendees from more than 25 countries, representing various industries.

Participants will share technical presentations and best-practice examples and attend parallel infoshops for details about e-Manufacturing solutions, quality management and the economics of laser-sintering. The IUM also provides numerous networking opportunities, including a special evening event.

For more information on the IUM, visit www.eos.info/ium.

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Lean for the Supply Chain: Conference Presented by Society of Manufacturing Engineers

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) announces a new conference to help Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and suppliers take the next step on their lean journeys. "Lean for the Supply Chain," Crowne Plaza Hotel, San Jose, CA , March 11 - 2, 2008, will bring together OEMs, major suppliers and job shop owners to address the value of using lean processes to collaborate on working effectively up and down the supply chain.

"Lean for the Supply Chain was developed in response to the aerospace and defense industries' desire to improve supplier relations," said Mark C. Tomlinson, CMfgT, CEM, the Society's executive director and general manager. "This conference supports SME's commitment to these industries and to lean education and certification."

During the keynote presentation, "The Future State of the Supply Chain: Push vs. Pull," attendees will learn about the future state of the supply chain and take part in a discussion on the Collaboration Process, Trust and Lean. Presenters are Waseem Sheikh, Supply Chain and Product Life Cycle Management practice group leader and Innovations director, Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), and Brad Hart, President, Roberts Tools who met with a peer group of competitors to discuss and share knowledge on training, supply chain management and technology.

The workshops cover topics from standardized work, creating a lean culture with the supply chain, kaizening together and more. The sessions are categorized as fundamental, integrated and strategic to direct attendees in finding the correct training level, and are led by industry leaders who are passionate about sharing their lean experiences.

For more information on the conference including pricing and registration, visit www.sme.org/leansupplychain.

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Multi Metrics’ SmartGD&T™ Spring Seminars Series

Multi Metrics’ SmartGD&T™ Spring Seminars Series is a special two-part series of public GD&T seminars. It will be held at San Jose State University (SJSU), in San Jose, CA.

Seminars:
Part 1: Beginning SmartGD&T for Design, Manufacturing & Inspection
Price = $795.00
Date = March 17th-18th, 2008

Part 2: Intermediate SmartGD&T for Design, Manufacturing & Inspection
Price = $1,195.00
Date = May 26th-28th, 2008

For course details and registration information, visit www.multimetrics.com/publicSeminars.aspx.

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Oil Rig Manufacturer Radically Improves Efficiencies to Meet Demands of Rapid Growth

Avatech Solutions, Inc. (Baltimore, MD ), technology experts for design, engineering and facilities management, announces that Veristic Technologies has engaged Avatech to create advanced design engineering systems to support rapid growth.

Houston-based Veristic Technologies designs and produces self-erecting oil rigs for its rapidly growing customer base. Veristic's patented technology in building specialized equipment for unique customer applications is redefining the status quo in the industry. Orders for customized oil rigs in 2008 have increased by more than 1000 percent from the year before. With each rig containing up to 10,000 parts, Veristic needed an effective 3D technology solution to speed design and ensure timely deliveries to their customers.

In addition to Autodesk Inventor, Avatech recommended the implementation of a data management solution so that Veristic could easily locate and reuse model components and create accurate bills of material from the 3D models. "We will trim the time it takes to customize a new rig from one month down to five days. The productivity gains will allow our employees to do more in less time, which means we'll also see huge savings in hiring costs,” says Ted Vora, President of Veristic. "Avatech's expertise in the manufacturing industry provides clients with technical advice that leads directly to a better bottom line,” says Scott Hale, Vice President of Manufacturing at Avatech Solutions. "Our approach is to understand the needs of clients as though their business were our own so that we can partner with them to make the best possible technology decisions.”

For more information on Avatech Solutions, visit www.avatech.com.

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The Impact of the Emergence of Large Enterprise Suppliers on the PLM Market to be Addressed at the CIMdata 2008 PLM Vendor Forum

Consulting and research firm CIMdata will address the impact of the emergence of large enterprise suppliers on the PLM market at its 2008 PLM Vendor Forums (www.cimdata.com/events/forums.html). These international one-day events will be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan on March 27th, in Stuttgart, Germany on April 17th, and in Tokyo, Japan on April 23rd, 2008. The CIMdata Vendor Forum provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for PLM solution providers to come together to examine the industry’s performance, gauge its progress and set the vision for its future. Recognized for many years as the best source of comprehensive and accurate insights into the evolution and directions of the PLM industry, CIMdata will unveil its annual PLM Market Analysis at these Vendor Forums. CIMdata will present and discuss the 2007 PLM Market Analysis, including 2007 PLM market revenues from various perspectives. These include a review of industrial investments in various key PLM functional domains, major industries, and geographic regions. In addition to market investments in various sectors, CIMdata will provide an analysis of the revenue performance of major PLM suppliers.

CIMdata will also present the current state of the PLM industry, with particular emphasis on trends and issues critical to suppliers of PLM technologies and services. Special attention will be on the impact of the emergence of large enterprise PLM suppliers and the challenges and opportunities this has created for all suppliers competing in the market. CIMdata will analyze the drivers for the emergence of large enterprise suppliers, identify these suppliers, and discuss their perspective on PLM and other enterprise solutions.

In addition, CIMdata will examine the impact of large enterprise PLM suppliers on the industrial companies that are deploying or planning to adopt PLM and the resulting impact on PLM suppliers of all sizes and types. Issues to be addressed include the impact of these suppliers on the buyers and buying process, the required organization and operational structures, the adoption of PLM across the enterprise, and the relationship of PLM investments to other business and IT investments. Other topics to be discussed include the impact of previous commitments to other large enterprise suppliers, PLM investments, pressures for platform consolidation, and continued debate over “best of breed” versus homogeneous solutions. There will also be a discussion of strategies for suppliers of all sizes for successful sales, delivery and support as PLM becomes a more fundamental component of enterprise investments.

For more information on CIMdata, visit www.CIMdata.com.

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Xpress Product Development Group, Ltd. (XPDG) Offers DSM Somos’® WaterClear® Ultra Stereolithography Resin

XPDG (Brighouse, West Yorkshire) has announced the addition of an exciting new stereolithography resin from DSM Somos® (Elgin, IL) called WaterClear® Ultra. “WaterClear Ultra has been developed with an entirely new approach to clarity. It combines high clarity with extremely low color, high dimensional accuracy and other performance features,” says Brian Bauman, Product Manager for DSM Somos. It is an excellent resin for producing lenses, housings, packaging models, fluid flow analysis models and master patterns.

Miguel Diaz, Director of Mexico Manufacturing Operations for XPDG, Ltd. stated, “The WaterClear Ultra material is by far the clearest SLA material I have seen. It also builds very well and offers great accuracy. We are excited to have this material for stand alone SLA parts and also for master patterns for urethane cast parts. We traditionally have used hand polished CNC machined acrylic patterns for clear and tinted urethane castings, now we will also be able to use WaterClear Ultra SLA patterns.”

For more information on XPDG, contact them via e-mail at Quotes@XPDG.com or visit the Web at www.XPDG.com. For more information on DSM Somos, visit www.dsmsomos.com.

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4th European Rapid Manufacturing Platform Stakeholder Meeting Will Take Place in Spain

The 4th European Rapid Manufacturing Platform Stakeholder Meeting will take place on April 15 - 16 2008 at the Palacio de Congresos, Gijon, Asturias, Spain. This event is open to anyone from in Europe with an interest in rapid manufacturing. The two days will draw together experts with the aim of increasing the adoption of Rapid Manufacturing technologies. Key policy makers will be in attendance from across industry, EC and Manufuture (European Technology Platform on future manufacturing technologies).

Participants will have the opportunity to extend their knowledge of Rapid Manufacturing and also to establish new collaborations with companies working in the field with a view to creating business opportunities that take advantage of this exciting area of technology.

Day One is organized in collaboration with the Custom-Fit consortium and the Spanish RM platform. Top-level speakers including Siemens, Indo, Delcam, TNO, Microtec and De Montfort University will provide current perspectives of Rapid Manufacturing from a business point of view.

Day Two will feature a workshop for attendees aimed at creating business initiatives on a regional and national level. There will also be an update on FP7 (Seventh Research Framework Programme), the recently approved projects and the progress of the Platform to date.

Visit www.prodintec.com/rmasturias to register.

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Catalog Data Solutions Announces 70 Percent Annual Growth Rate for 2007

Catalog Data Solutions (CDS) (San Jose, CA), a provider of online product selection tools for industrial suppliers and distributors, announces that its 2007 annual revenue increased by 70 percent over 2006 and that the fourth quarter (Q4 2007) revenue increased by 100 percent over the previous year (Q4 2006). In 2007, the company’s new and repeat customers included Accurate Screw Machine, Advanced Machine Engineering, Alstom Signaling, ASCO Valve, ASK Products, Associated Spring Raymond, ASK Products, Assured Automation, Atlas Caster, Buckeye Fasteners, Captive Fasteners, Century Spring, Charlotte Pipe, Design World Online, Designatronics, Emerson Power Transmission, Fibergrate, Gates Fluid Power, Gates Power Transmission Division, Hiplains Filtration, International Gas Springs, J.W. Winco, Micromo, Midwest Controls, Ohio Nut and Bolt, PTC, Rino Mechanical, R&W Couplings, Sofasco, SPX Hytec, Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument, Techno and more. In addition, the company’s new or renewed partnerships included PTC, Autodesk and SolidWorks and the company launched www.3DModelSpace.com, its new free CAD model search engine. For more information on Catalog Data Solutions, visit www.catalogdatasolutions.com.

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Convergence 2008

Convergence 2008 is the annual user conference that provides a unique opportunity to interact with other users, share best practices and learn from the Geomagic technology experts. Convergence 2008 will be held at the Raleigh-Durham Embassy Suites Hotel, located in Cary, next to the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. The area is home to hundreds of innovative companies including Geomagic, SAS, Bayer and Sony Ericsson. In addition, three world class universities—the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University and Duke University.

For more information on the event, visit www.geomagic.com/convergence

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Electromagnetic Simulation Helps Loudspeaker Technology Pioneer Maintain Its Edge

B&W (North Reading, MA) makes some of the world's highest-fidelity loudspeakers, and as global competition increases, the company sees an increasing role for electromagnetic simulation to improve design characteristics and shorten design cycles.

The company has been using electromagnetic design software for well over a decade. Its first major foray into this area started in the mid 1990s, when the company tried to create its own 'reverse finite element analysis' software in conjunction with the University of Brighton to calculate backwards from the ideal sound characteristics to find a design solution. The huge complexity of this problem meant that the work petered out, but it made B&W purchase its first professional electromagnetic design software, from Vector Fields (Aurora, IL)—the Vector Fields Opera package. The Opera software plays a major role today at the start of design cycles to try and optimize the magnetic characteristics of the speaker motor to achieve as high and as linear a field as possible, to maximize speaker sensitivity.

This is a particular issue for the high-frequency tweeter elements of a sound system. One of the major limitations affecting tweeter speakers is behind the speaker, in the tube or space that absorbs the sound emanating from the rear of the diaphragm. Good acoustic performance demands an air hole in the motor system, which inevitably leads to a compromise in the maximum flux levels and sensitivity achievable, and the Opera tool helps B&W to optimize the magnetic performance of the motor design early in the design cycle. Once initial design concepts are produced, B&W still relies greatly on real-world listening tests to prove and optimize a design.

The company is also using Opera to find solutions to more complex dynamic problems. In development currently—in conjunction with a Vector Fields applications engineer—is a generic model that will help B&W to overcome the problems caused by the dynamically changing impedance of the voice coil as it moves in the air gap - and gets nearer or farther to the steel magnetic material. This changing impedance gives rise to distortion, typically heard as a roughness of voice. In the past, B&W has solved this issue empirically, by the application of conductive material to reduce the change. However, the problem is non-linear and is complex to solve, and the new model will allow B&W to quickly settle on optimum design solutions for each loudspeaker motor design.

For more information on Vector Fields, Inc., call (630) 851-1734, e-mail info@vectorfields.com or visit www.vectorfields.com.

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ENGINEERING.com to Sell Creaform’s Handyscan 3D Laser Scanners to Education Market

ENGINEERING.com and Creaform (Levis (Quebec) Canada) announces a partnership that will give ENGINEERING.com distribution rights to Creaform’s line of Handyscan 3D laser scanners for the educational market in North America.

Creaform’s line of Handyscan 3D scanners represents the first portable, accurate and low cost handheld laser scanners on the market. These scanners help engineers improve their design and inspection capabilities through the manufacturing process, making them ideal for use in reverse engineering, inspection and analysis, and the creation of digital mock-ups. On February 18, 2008, ENGINEERING.com began distribution of the Handyscan 3D scanners through its Web site www.engineering.com and through its sales and support center. Creaform will be responsible for installation, training and post sales support. For more information on Creaform, visit www.creaform3d.com.

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Etrage LLC Announces the IWBIWYBI Challenge

Etrage LLC (Waltham, MA), the Engineering Automation Company, announces the IWBIWYBI Challenge. IWBIWYBI (pronounced Eebie-wibbie) stands for “If We Build It Will You Buy It.”

The challenge to the PTC/USER community is to develop and submit ideas to Etrage for the best new 3rd party application for Pro/ENGINEERÒ WildfireÒ or WindchillÒ. Applications can be in the areas of engineering automation, data integration, triggers or other Pro/TOOLKITÒ applications.

Three Pro/ENGINEER users have agreed to judge the competition with Etrage. Judging will be based on feasibility of development, impact to the user community and number of similar ideas submitted. The best application will then be built by Etrage.

Up to three companies will be selected to receive the new application, for their internal use, through a random drawing of the companies submitting similar ideas. The winners will be announced at the PTC/USER World Event 2008 (www.ptcuser.org/2008), Exhibit Hall, Etrage Booth #117, on Sunday evening June 1st.

Etrage is a PTC Gold Development Partner and a PTC/USER Bronze Premium Partner, has been offering development services and products for Pro/ENGINEER, Pro/INTRALINKÒ and Windchill for the past five years. “We are holding the IWBIWYBI Challenge to help foster innovation and to raise awareness and visibility of Etrage’s capabilities,” stated Ron Zabilski, Director of Sales and Marketing at Etrage.

Ideas for the IWBIWYBI Challenge must in submitted to Etrage by Friday March 28, 2008 to be considered.

The submittal entry form and examples ideas of can be found at: www.etrage.com/IWBIWYBI.htm.

For more information on ETRAGE LLC, visit Etrage LLC is a Waltham, MA-based software www.etrage.com.

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FUJIFILM Dimatix Targets Drupa to Introduce Inkjet Products, Technologies and Expertise

FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA), suppliers of piezoelectric inkjet printheads for industrial applications, will use Drupa 2008 for its first major appearance on the international print industry scene since Spectra, Inc. was renamed Dimatix in 2005 and subsequently acquired by FUJIFILM Corporation.

Under the banner "FUJIFILM Dimatix - Building Businesses One Drop at a Time," the company will prominently display and demonstrate the latest capabilities of its industry-leading piezoelectric drop-on-demand inkjet technology at Messe Düsseldorf, in Hall 8b, stand B03. Billed as the world's leading exhibition for the printing industry, Drupa is expected to draw an international audience of more than 300,000 visitors to Düsseldorf, Germany from May 29 through June 11, 2008.

Among the demonstrations featured will be a prototypical, single-pass production inkjet press designed and built by the company's Dimatix Technology Integration group. Another demonstration of a precision laboratory development system will showcase the many advantages of FUJIFILM Dimatix' proprietary Shaped Piezo SiliconT MEMS technology, including its unique ability to jet a diverse range of functional fluids for applications in and beyond print.

The company is also planning the global launch at Drupa of a new inkjet printhead that will enable a new level of single-pass and scanning applications.

For more information on FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc., visit www.dimatix.com.

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Mid-Atlantic Design-2-Part Show

If you source custom parts or design services, this show is for you. The Design-2-Part Show is the fastest way to get from idea to prototype, to production. Hands-on, face-to-face is the most efficient way to outsource new projects. One day at this show will help you improve the quality, delivery and cost of your parts and components. This is a working show so bring your parts, prints or problems and get ready for instant answers.

For information on upcoming shows around the U.S., visit www.boothsales.com/schedule.

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Mouser Electronics Joins 3M Touch Systems Distributor Network

3M Touch Systems, Inc. (St. Paul, MN), a wholly-own subsidiary of the 3M Company (St. Paul, MN) and an innovator and manufacturer of touch technology, introduces Mouser Electronics (Mansfield, TX) as its newest authorized North American distributor for MicroTouch™ touch sensors and electronics. Mouser, known for its rapid introduction of new products and technologies to electronic design engineers, will be offering popular screen sizes of MicroTouch ClearTek™ II and ToughTouch II surface capacitive touch sensors and the broad array of EX II capacitive touch electronics and SC Series resistive touch electronics via the quarterly Mouser Electronics catalog and its on-line store at www.mouser.com.

“Mouser Electronics is well known for providing design engineers quick delivery of the components they need for creating next generation products,” said Chris Tsourides, business unit manager, 3M Touch Systems. “We’re confident that Mouser will help add another dimension to making MicroTouch products available to a broader range of engineers.”

For more information on 3M Touch Systems Inc. and MicroTouch products, visit www.3M.com/touch.

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North American Technical Summit

Delcam (Windsor, Ontario) will demonstrate developments in their complete suite of CADCAM software at their North American Technical Summit, held April 15th & 16th 2008, at Methods National Headquarters.

As in past events in North American, the Technical Summit will cover Delcam’s complete software range and show how Delcam software can provide faster and more efficient development. The latest versions of Delcam’s design software will be covered first with presentations in integrated design (Delcam PowerSHAPE/CopyCAD/ArtCAM) which includes surface modeling, solid modeling, reverse engineering and triangle modeling. Customer presentations will show real life product production. The day will end with presentations on design applications not just for mold tools in industries such as composites, footwear, medical and dental. April 16th will continue with presentations on machining and inspection. Concluding the event will be live program demonstrations on a number of Method machines. Methods product line includes; Matsuura Machining Centers, Nakamura Turning Centers, Methods EDM, Fanuc Mill/Drill Centers, Zeiss CMM, Maier Swiss Turning Centers, Toshiba Bridge Mills, and Nickolis Corea 5 axis Mills. As well as outlining their latest technical developments, Delcam will also cover the commercial progress of Delcam’s business in North American. This event will provide you with an opportunity to meet with key Delcam staff and Delcam customers. Together, they will present the latest CADCAM technology that can help manufacturers to increase productivity, reduce lead times and improve quality.

For more information on Delcam, visit www.delcam.com.

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Pentagon PLM lead to Take Second Keynote Spot at 3D Collaboration and Interoperability Conference 2008

The organizers of the 2008 3D Collaboration & Interoperability Conference and Exhibition published the official meeting and presentation agenda for the upcoming event, scheduled May 15 - 16, 2008 at the Denver Athletic Club in Denver, CO.

Initial Keynote speaker Dr. Mike Jahadi of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics will kick off this year’s conference, discussing global integration and management of 21st century fighter aircraft. Kevin Borek, PLM Lead at the Pentagon, will address the general assembly on Friday with his presentation on Product Lifecycle Management from the perspective of the Department of Defense (DoD).

This 4th annual industry conference brings together industry leaders who discuss the issues and barriers to sharing and working with 3D product data. The event brings together attendees from automotive, aerospace, heavy equipment, electronics and other discrete manufacturing industries, along with representatives from government and the defense community. Attendees have a diverse choice of breakout sessions and open-panel discussions, moderated by industry experts. General themes will cover:

  • Product Lifecycle Collaboration & Interoperability
  • Collaboration & Interoperability Technology
  • Standardization in Collaboration & Interoperability
  • Data Migration & Legacy Data Management
In addition to the recognized corporate names backing the keynoters for this prestigious event, other experts offering 3D collaboration and interoperability insights include Don Richardson, director of the Manufacturing Industry Unit at Microsoft; Dr. Nathan Hartman, professor at Purdue University; Nate Nalven, PLM Technical Fellow of Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems; Terry Partridge, CAD Manager at Cummins Engine; and Richard Zuray, PLM Technical Principal of The Boeing Company, to mention a few.

For registration and complete schedule information on the 3D Collaboration & Interoperability 2008 conference, visit www.3Dinterop.com.

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Planit Names CAD/CAM Veteran Lanzillotta to VAR Management Post in Edgecam

Planit Solutions (Thousand Oaks, CA) has appointed Domenic Lanzillotta, a 20-year management veteran in mechanical CAD/CAM, as channel manager for the western U.S. and Canada for Edgecam software.

Based in Thousand Oaks, CA, Lanzillotta is responsible for helping Edgecam value-added resellers adapt to and thrive in a new selling environment as part of Planit.

“Edgecam is known as the intelligent CAM solution for good reason," Lanzillotta said. “Our software helps overcome the biggest challenge facing machine tool owners today, the scarcity of experienced programmers. Edgecam helps the people who have to step in.”

Lanzillotta previously held sales and channel-management positions at Teksoft, Surfware, Delcam, Greco Systems and Numeritronics.

For more information on Planit Solutions, visit www.planit.com.

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Tool Manufacturers Present Award to Congressman Duncan Hunter

On February 13, 2008, Representative Duncan L. Hunter was presented the Hand Tools Institute American Manufacturing Champion award by representatives of the Hand Tools Institute (HTI), a trade association of American hand tool manufacturers. This award is intended to recognize legislators that demonstrate strong support for manufacturing. Representative Hunter is the first recipient of this award.

Scott Meyer, President Emeritus of HTI presented the award to Congressman Hunter in his offices in Washington, DC. During the presentation, Mr. Myer said, "The Board of Directors of the Hand Tools Institute voted unanimously to present this award to you, Congressman Hunter, in recognition of your tireless efforts to combat predatory trade policies, ranging from currency manipulation to illegal subsidies designed to achieve industrial supremacy at America’s expense. Thank you, Representative Hunter, for fighting for American manufacturing and American workers."

Others from HTI present at the award ceremony were Earl Cunningham, President and CEO of Eklind Tool Company, Franklin Park, Illinois, Robert Benedict, President of Ajax Tool Works, Franklin Park, Illinois and Rich Byrne, HTI Executive Director, Tarrytown, New York.

Congressman Hunter represents California’s 52nd Congressional District consisting of eastern and northern San Diego County. Earlier this year, he sought the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

For more information, contact Richard C. Byrne, Executive Director, Hand Tools Institute, at (914) 332-0040 ext 321 or via e-mail at rbyrne@hti.org.

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DuPont Helps Auto OEMs Achieve Reduced Emissions

In a breakthrough for structural automotive components, DuPont (Bad Homburg, Germany) announces that its reinforced DuPont™ Zytel® nylon resin has replaced steel in exhaust system parts on all Volkswagen vehicles built on the current Golf platform, cutting weight of the component by nearly 50 percent.

Smith said the focus on weight reduction will be reflected in new powertrain technologies of the future and smaller engine designs that improve fuel economy. The EPA’s 2007 Fuel Economy Report indicates that progress is being made. The report confirms that gains in average fuel economy made in 2005 and 2006 are being held in 2007.

The new Golf catalytic converter bracket, which experiences temperatures up to 175 degrees Celsius due to its proximity to the engine, was previously a complex metal/rubber part which required multiple assembly steps. The new component is a global first, as a metal to plastics transition had not been attempted for parts such as these, which must withstand dynamic forces, chemical exposure and high temperatures. In addition to weight reduction, the new all-plastic design with Zytel also makes possible more efficient, one-step assembly.

For more information on DuPont, visit www.plastics.dupont.com and www.automotive.dupont.com.

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Dimension 3D Printing Group Introduces the Dimension 1200es Series

The Dimension 3D Printing Group, a business unit of Stratasys, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN), announces immediate availability of the Dimension 1200es Series. The 1200es, priced at $26,900 for the BST and $34,900 for the SST version, joins the group’s market leading line of desktop modeling systems—which includes the Dimension Elite (priced at $32,900) and 768 Series (priced from $18,900).

The 1200es Series features a 10 x 10 x 12-inch build size and joins the Dimension Elite in offering engineers and designers the ability to print models with ABSplus, a material that is on average 40 percent stronger than standard Stratasys ABS plastic, providing stronger functional models and improved surface finish.

For customers who have purchased a 1200 Series 3D printer (non-es version), Dimension is now offering an enhancement package allowing for an upgrade to the 1200es for $5,000. Customers interested in the enhancement package should contact their Dimension reseller for more information.

For more information on Dimension 3D printers, visit www.dimensionprinting.com or call (888) 480-3548.

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Manufacturing Insights Europe Predicts Real-Time Manufacturing Execution

Global independent research and advisory firm, Manufacturing Insights, an IDC company, announced the release of a new study, EMEA Supply Chain 2008 Top 10 Predictions. According to these latest findings, being agile comes out on top over being demand-driven, and real-time manufacturing execution comes first in 2008 agendas for Supply Chain executives.

"Although many outstanding results have been achieved in supply chain performance levels over time, European manufacturing firms are still pressured by price and margin erosion," said Pierfrancesco Manenti, EMEA research director, Manufacturing Insights, an IDC Company. "However, European manufacturers, in order to survive in today's shrinking world, should not only care about cost reduction but, to be truly competitive, progressive, and ultimately profitable, they must put an equal emphasis on the strategies that support responsiveness and collaboration throughout the supply chain."

In acknowledging these priorities and enablers, it is interesting to note that companies have relegated the notion of being driven by demand, preferring instead to be agile in order to quickly respond to demand changes.

The Manufacturing Insights study, EMEA Supply Chain 2008 Top 10 Predictions (Manufacturing Insights #MISS01Q, Feb 2008), is based on a number of interviews and extensive surveys among European manufacturing organizations designed to ascertain their current state and future outlook of supply chain business process and technology initiatives. The report also includes recommendations for manufacturers and for technology vendors targeting the manufacturing industry. (www.manufacturing-insights.com/MI/getdoc.jsp?containerId=MISS01Q)

The study's predictions for 2008 include the following:

  • Prediction #2: Agility: Getting More Responsive Through Collaboration
  • Prediction #6: Green Supply Chain Initiatives Will Move From Compliance Mandates to Business Value Creation
  • Prediction #7: Innovation Calls for Product Life-Cycle and Supply Chain Management Convergence
  • Prediction #8: RFID Will Remain an Emerging Technology Unless ROI is Proved
More information, including registration details (required), may be found at: www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=IDC_P16861.

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EOS and BEGO Announce License Agreement

EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems, BEGO Medical GmbH and BEGO Bremer Goldschlägerei Wilh. Herbst GmbH & Co. KG announces that they have reached a patent licence agreement. Under the agreement, EOS receives a worldwide license for all patents from both BEGO companies which are relevant for laser-sintering. This especially pertains to the production of dental prostheses and/or dental auxiliaries using laser-sintering.

The licensed patents include among others EP 1021997 and US 7,084,370. The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial conditions of the agreement

Laser-sintering produces dental bridges and crowns layer by layer directly from CAD data. The basis are powdered metal materials, in the dental industry mainly cobalt-chrome alloys. One laser-sintering system produces up to 500 dental units per day. The automated production eliminates certain laborious and expensive processes for the dental laboratory, such as casting. The technology thus increases the efficiency of the dental industry and the productivity of dental laboratories.

For more information on EOS, visit www.eos.info. For more information on BEGO, visit www.bego.com.

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CalculatorEDGE.com has Started a Free Online Engineering Calculator Tool

CalculatorEDGE.com has recently started an online engineering Calculator Tool FREE to be used by engineers and students worldwide. It has the advantage of calculating complex engineering equations at click of the Button, and is used by chemical, electrical, electronics, automation, mechanical and construction engineering professionals in their project design.

In the next two to three months, CalculatorEDGE.com will add over 250 new calculators online.

For more information, visit www.CalculatorEDGE.com.

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Jergens, Inc. Announces Updated Full-Line Fastener Products Catalog

Jergens, Inc. (Cleveland, OH), a manufacturers of standard tooling components, has just published the latest edition of its full-line Specialty Fasteners Catalog, the complete sourcing guide for its Kwik-Lok™ pins, Spinner-Grip™ flange lock nuts, spring-loaded devices, threaded inserts, and threaded components and washers. New products in this year’s edition include: alloy steel pull dowels in spiral groove, flat vent and standard round (un-vented) versions, fine threaded spring plungers, Kwik-Lok lifting pins and more.

Now more than 100 pages, the catalog includes four product sections with comprehensive ordering, application and installation information, and both U.S. standard inch and metric specifications. Conversion charts, schematic drawings, installation photos, selection help and many Jergens value-added features provide additional useful information.

Other catalogs available from Jergens include Tooling Components (e-catalog), Master Catalog (printed), Kwik-Lok Pins (printed), Clamping Products Catalog (printed) and the Hoist Rings Catalog (printed). In addition, the company has more than 200 distributors in international manufacturing centers.

For more information, call (216) 486-5540, e-mail info@jergensinc.com or visit www.jergensinc.com.

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American Precision Prototyping Moves its Entire Production to 3D Systems' Materials

3D Systems Corporation (Rock Hill, SC), a provider of 3D modeling, rapid prototyping and manufacturing solutions, announced that American Precision Prototyping (APP) of Tulsa, OK, has selected the 3D Systems’ Accura® family of materials exclusively for its entire SLA® rapid prototyping and manufacturing operations to deliver proven, dependable Pro Parts.

APP is an authorized 3D Systems Preferred Service Provider that operates multiple 3D systems’ stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS®) systems. The patented Accura portfolio of engineered materials is used to build highly accurate, ready-to-use, smooth parts of various sizes and geometries in hours. These materials, in combination with 3D Systems’ equipment, create small and large Pro Parts with beautiful surfaces, fine features and crisp edges, delivering the quality and feel of injection-molded polypropylene, ABS and polycarbonate, without molding, tooling, dies or traditional machining.

As a sole Accura Pro Parts provider, APP offers a comprehensive selection of Accura materials, including the new, tough, gray-molded, ABS-like Accura Xtreme Plastic, the rigid engineered nanocomposite, Accura Bluestone™ Material, designed for motorsport and aerospace applications, and the popular, clear Accura 60 Plastic that has the properties and appearance of polycarbonate.

For more information on 3D Systems, contact them via e-mail at moreinfo@3dsystems.com or visit www.3dsystems.com. For more information on American Precision Prototyping, LLC, visit www.approto.com.

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3dScanCo, Inc. Has New Offerings on Their Web Site

3dScanCo, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) has recently updated their Web site to include instant quoting for their 3d scanning services. They can create CAD files in just about any format including Solidworks, CATIA, AutoCAD, UG and many others. We also can create custom 3d scanning systems or help you pick the 3d scanner that is right for you.

Their site also provides company press releases, technical information on 3D scanning, details on their products and services, and more.

For more information on 3DscanCo, visit www.3dscanco.com . For instant online quotes, visit www.3dscanco.com/contact/instant-3d-scanning-quote.cfm.

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RTT Unveils New Innovations in High-Speed Reality

RTT USA, Inc. (RTT) (Pasadena, CA), a pioneer of 3D design software for automotive, aircraft and consumer goods applications, announces the debut of RTT DeltaGen 7.5 and RTT Portal 3.5, the newest version of their award-winning DeltaGen 3D design and visualization software package.

RTT DeltaGen 7.5 is unique in its ability to show exactly what a vehicle will look like, down to whether a consumer will be able to see a wiring harness through a gap between body panels, whether glare will impede a driver’s ability to see the instrumentation and even how large the metal flakes in a metallic paint will be. New features improve the efficiency, speed and performance of the design and development processes.

For more information on RTT DeltaGen 7.5, visit www.rttusa.com.

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Objet Announces Printing Optimization Package for Eden350V and Eden500V

Objet Geometries Ltd. (Rehovot, Israel), a provider of ultra-thin layer photopolymer jetting, introduces an advanced printing optimization package for the Eden350V™ and Eden500V™ 3-D printing systems. The new package, named Optimax™, automates resin management, improves resin use, reduces the risk of human error in loading and unloading cartridges, and assures model and machine quality on very long runs. The new Optimax™ will support all new Eden350V and Eden500V printers and will be available as an upgrade on previously installed Eden V-series machines.

The Optimax package comprises three software and hardware modules that together create a comprehensive package for ensuring optimized printing:

  • Auto ID is a user-friendly read/write data accessory that automates many aspects of resin handling. Continuously monitoring the model material cartridge inserted in the machine, it automatically identifies the material type and the weight of residual material remaining in the cartridge, in real time. It ensures the loaded materials automatically appear in Objet Studio™ and automates setup of resin parameters in Objet Studio and in the printer software. The Auto ID module also facilitates resin cartridge replacement, issues alerts and varied messages for ensuring printing quality.
  • The Image Processing Engine (IPE) module improves the interaction between the printing system and the material and, using a smart algorithm, creates efficiencies in material consumption of up to 15 percent.
  • The Built-in-Tests (BIT) module ensures maximum quality, particularly on long jobs, and facilitates in trouble shooting. It activates automated tests to verify the 3D printing system is ready to print at the highest possible quality and it maps and reviews the most vital printing-related tasks, including communication, data card, voltages and temperatures. The easy to use interface enables clear viewing and understanding of test results.
For more information on Objet Geometries, visit www.2objet.com.

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Stratasys Introduces High-Performance Prototyping and Production System with Entry Level Price

Stratasys (Eden Prairie, MN) introduces a new additive fabrication system for prototyping and direct digital manufacturing applications, the FDM 360mcTM. The FDM 360mc was designed for users with demanding applications that require the same accuracy, repeatability and material specifications of more expensive FDM systems but who don’t need as much speed or as many features.

The performance of the FDM 360mc is the result of technology innovation and manufacturing process improvements in the extrusion head gantry, which enabled it to be straighter and stiffer. This enables the extrusion head to hold a tighter positional accuracy that can produce parts with a higher tolerance.

The FDM 360mc builds with ABS-M30, which offers substantial improvements over standard Stratasys ABS across a number of mechanical properties, including tensile strength, impact strength, and flexural strength. ABS-M30 mechanical properties for strength are up to 67 percent stronger than standard Stratasys ABS, expanding capabilities for functional testing or building production parts.

For more information on Stratasys, contact them at (952) 937-3000, via e-mail at info@stratasys.com, or visit www.stratasys.com.

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Tangible Express Named 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year

Tangible Express (Springville, Utah), a provider of innovative rapid-manufacturing, rapid-prototyping and rapid-tooling services, has been named the 2007 Rapid Innovator of the Year by the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association.

Although less than two years old, Tangible Express has quickly become known in the additive fabrication industry. Tangible is the first company in the world to make its entire line of rapid manufacturing and rapid prototyping machines available for fractional ownership, enabling companies both large and small to enjoy all the benefits of ownership without the large expense and hassles.

Unlike typical service bureaus, Tangible Express not only hosts, operates and maintains all of the equipment on behalf of fractional owners, but it also provides owners with dedicated and specially trained support, an uninterrupted power supply, and the ability to swap or add capacity as the need arises.

Dean Rotbart, L-VMA's director, said that his volunteer organization was particularly impressed by Tangible Express's move to permit all entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers and designers to share in the revolutionary benefits of 'rapid' ownership. L-VMA also noted that manufacturers as far away as China have taken a strong interest in the Tangible Express approach.